In the chip battle between the Chinese Communist Party and Western countries, Dutch lithography equipment manufacturer ASML has been a major focus of geopolitical tensions. A Dutch university supported by ASML has attracted attention from the United States government due to concerns about the number of Chinese students, becoming embroiled in the US-China chip war.
Eindhoven University of Technology is one of the most prestigious technical universities in the Netherlands and even in the whole of Europe, serving as a talent pool for ASML. With only 5 miles separating the university from ASML’s headquarters, the long-standing research collaboration between the two has come under scrutiny amidst the escalating US-China and East-West chip conflicts.
According to a report by Bloomberg on July 16, Robert-Jan Smits, the rector of Eindhoven University of Technology, revealed that he has been consistently questioned by US officials about issues related to Chinese students. He mentioned that last year, the US ambassador to the Netherlands inquired about the significant number of Chinese students studying at the university.
Some critical machines in the global chip industry are produced at ASML’s factory located near cornfields in the Netherlands, where ASML dominates over 80% to 90% of the lithography machine market. The US government, in conjunction with allies such as Japan and the Netherlands, is striving to ensure that these machines do not fall into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.
Currently, ASML is the only enterprise globally capable of manufacturing extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) equipment. Since 2019, the Dutch government has prohibited the delivery of EUV to China. While the immersion DUV systems covered by new regulations introduced in June last year are less advanced compared to EUV, the Dutch government views them as “dual-use” technology, indicating that they can be utilized for both commercial and military purposes.
On January 1 of this year, ASML announced that due to US export restrictions, the Dutch government had revoked some licenses for exporting chip manufacturing equipment to China.
On May 23, ASML and Eindhoven University of Technology agreed to jointly invest 180 million euros in semiconductor research over the next decade. The university plans to invest 100 million euros in constructing and operating advanced clean room facilities for semiconductor-related research in areas such as plasma physics, mechatronics integration, optics, and artificial intelligence (AI); ASML will contribute 80 million euros to this initiative.
Smits told Bloomberg that they have received warnings from the US regarding handling Chinese students cautiously. The university is collaborating with the government and security agencies to screen foreign professors and provide recommendations on safety measures for staff visiting China.
It is reported that one-fourth of the students at Eindhoven University of Technology are international students, but the specific number of Chinese international students has not been disclosed by the university.
In pursuit of military power, the Chinese Communist Party has adopted a policy of military-civil fusion, known for engaging in multiple instances of intellectual property theft from Western companies. On February 15 last year, ASML acknowledged to Agence France-Presse that a Chinese employee had recently stolen confidential information regarding patent technology, who is now considered a “former employee.”
In its 2023 annual report, the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) stated that the Chinese Communist Party poses the greatest threat to the economic security of the Netherlands. In April of this year, the AIVD once again publicly announced that Chinese espionage activities are becoming increasingly rampant, posing a growing threat to national security.
In November last year, the Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (AWTI) in the Netherlands recommended not being too “naïve” on information security. Eppo Bruins, the former chairman of the AWTI and current Dutch Minister of Education, stated, “Until recently, if you were willing to cooperate with Beijing, you could almost collect hundreds of thousands of research funds without many conditions attached.”
Smits admitted implementing certain restrictions. He mentioned that the university does not welcome Chinese students with open arms, stating, “We are very cautious about who can access our top-sensitive technologies.”
“We do not want the jewels in our crown to be stolen,” Smits emphasized.
A chip research professor at Eindhoven University of Technology also disclosed to Bloomberg that it is increasingly challenging to recruit Chinese students for research in sensitive fields.
Although there is a significant number of Chinese students studying in the United States, the US government has been tightening visa requirements for some sensitive disciplines. Several Chinese students holding US visas have been denied entry into the US, especially in fields such as AI, semiconductors, and biotechnology.